The Guardian of The Forest
by WhenStarsLie
Summary: The forest is life…and so is a source of death.
1. Chapter 1

Pidge Gunderson, a.k.a. Katie Holt, for all the residents of the Castle of Lions knew, is not a fan of the great outdoors. Though not necessarily a recluse, she tends to keep to herself, if not less than Keith, and often busies herself with mathematical and scientific endeavors. The smallest Paladin would only venture outside if necessary – be it training, a mission, or an exploration. She would rather be in her room or in her Lion's hangar – decrypting alien data, working on upgrades for the Green Lion, or creating inventions that will be useful for them in missions – than being under the sun and surrounded with organic life, which some of the members of Team Voltron - especially Lance – like to point out at times.

"You're the Guardian Spirit of the Forest, Pidge!" Lance was loudly saying one day as two of the Garrison trio were lounging in the bridge. "Why are you not that excited to be outside? I remembered you mentioning allergies but it's still basically your territory."

Pidge looked up from her laptop and snorted. "Speak for yourself. I don't see you see you jumping into water every time you see one."

"That's different." Lance said as he plopped down next to her chair. "Jumping in water will get my uniform wet and staying too long will get my skin wrinkly." He took a bite of an alien pastry that Hunk bought in a market in a planet they have previously visited. "I mean…hash you sheen Hunk splat hish face first on tha ground?"

"Swallow your food first. You looked like you've got a goldfish in your mouth." Pidge muttered, eyes flitting on the screen of her laptop. "And no, I haven't. Hunk is a sensible person, even more than you do."

"Hey!" Lance complained as he swallowed. "I can do sensible."

"Then, I believe you already got your answer." Pidge said as her fingers hovered above the keyboard. "Now, shoo! I still have to work on this file I hacked from a Galra ship."

"Geez! Talk about a workaholic."

Pidge watched him begrudgingly stood up and left the bridge at the corner of her eye. The doors closing behind him with a soft _CHINK!_ – finally leaving her alone with her thoughts. Pidge sighed tiredly and slumped on the backrest. She closed her eyes and listened to the noise around her – the blinking sound from her computer, the quiet hum of the ship, and even the soft rumble of her Lion in her mind. All of it are technology – inorganic, so to speak. It is her comfort zone and where her capabilities lie and her brilliant mind is put to the test. It is where she is the strongest, where her fellow Paladins revered and trusted her the most.

Yes, she isn't initially a fan of the outside world, but ever since meeting the Olkari, things have changed. She's more connected to nature, to every organic and inorganic creation there is. From the smallest living being to the largest form of technology there is, it all comes from nature. Nature is the mother of all, the provider of everything. Everything comes from her and returns to her. She understood this as much, and sometimes…_it scares her._

_The Green Paladin of Voltron._

_The Guardian Spirit of the Forest._

She basically represents everything that is living. The most beautiful gift Nature has to offer. _Life. _It is ironic that she initially considered herself more attuned to machinery and technology when it, itself, is part of the same cosmic dust as she is. All the Lions, all except the Green and the Yellow Lions, were found not in their elements. It was only Green and Yellow. Only them found in their own domains for more than ten thousand years and the sheer power that she unleashed the moment they found each other was just simply a fraction of what she has yet to offer.

_And it scares her._

She has seen what the other Lions were capable, or at least what she has seen for now – how destructive they could be. But Green? Destroying three self-learning cubes from inside and out and invoking a piece of its origin – a minute fraction of the primordial power of Nature – is more than just a terrifying statement on its own.

_Pidge wondered if she will be ready to handle that power._

* * *

The Princess requested them to gather in the bridge after training the next day. The Paladins have themselves comfortable in their preferred spots in the room. Shiro and Keith were standing by Coran as they looked at the holographic screen hovering before them. Pidge has taken over the small flight of stairs as she viewed her own set of screens projected from her wrist guard. Lance was helping Hunk whip out a list of supplies they will need – food being the highest priority. They're running out of food and necessities (Lance argued that his beauty products are necessities) and needed to restock if they were to continue with their journey.

"We will be landing on the planet Ninhurgia in a few doboshes." Allura announced. "Lucky for us, it is abundant of nature and the Ninhurgs are welcoming to travelers that come to their home. I believe we can get supplies that will last us at least a phoeb."

"Is there anything we should know about them before we land?" Shiro asked.

"Nothing bad, I assure you." Coran answered. "Just as the Princess said, they are welcoming to strangers. As long as you respect Nature, they will not harm you. They also hold the highest regards to mothers, even more than their monarchs, and Nature is the greatest mother of all."

"Easy-peasy!" Lance grinned. "We're basically the Guardians of Mother Nature." He pointed at the Green Paladin sitting cross-legged on the stairs. "And we got Pidge too."

"Ha-ha." Pidge mock-laughed as she glared at Lance.

"I think Lance is right, Pidge." Shiro nodded. "You should come. It will be best if you join Hunk in grocery-shopping and the sun, or whatever they call it here, will do you good too. You haven't been under it for quite some time. Or any of us in that matter."

If he noticed Pidge giving him an annoyed look, he didn't show.

"Then, I suppose it will be best for us to all go." Allura suggested. "After all, we have to pay our respects to the Ninhurg monarchs and try our hand for an alliance."

"Sounds like a plan." Shiro turned to the other Paladins. "Suit up, everyone. I'll see you on ground once we landed."


	2. Chapter 2

"Why do I have to be here?" Pidge complained. "And why do we have walk? We could have just piloted our Lions to the palace. Lance gets to pilot Blue and Allura and Coran didn't have to walk."

Once the castleship landed on the outskirts of the capital, Shiro decided that only one Paladin will bring in their Lion to escort Allura and Coran ahead to the palace. Lance immediately seized the opportunity and volunteered for the job. Pidge wasn't around present around that time to protest – partly because she was checking on Green and partly because she wanted to buy some time before stepping out to the open. She wanted to check up on Coran whether there will be allergens present in the planet that might trigger her allergies. Fortunately, there weren't any. Bad news is she got no excuse to be left behind the ship.

"It isn't far, Pidge." Keith answered. Eyes trained ahead to the forested path. From up ahead, they could see the wooden spires that make up the top of the castle. It actually made it _seemed_ near than far. "Just a half a kilometer or so."

Pidge carefully maneuvered around a fallen log, noting the weird cluster of purple moss growing on its bark. Information shuffled in the back of her mind and she immediately knew what plant it is and what attributes it has by observation. _Name is Akhpius. Purple. No larger than the size her fist. Luminescent only during certain times in the night – specifically, eight to eleven o' clock in Ninhurg time. Usually used as base for antidotes for many types of poison. Would be handy to have in the ship. Should get some later._

Pidge was sure that last two parts were a subconscious influence by Green.

She was _definitely_ sure that all that botanical information was from Green.

Nothing weird, really. Just daily Green Paladin stuff.

"Endure it a bit, Pidge." Shiro said as he looked over at the youngest Paladin from his shoulder. "It's not always we can find a welcoming planet not overridden with the Galra."

Pidge made a face. Shiro has a point but still…this planet gave her the heebie-jeebies. The second the castleship entered the planet's orbit, hair-raising alarm ran their course through her skin. The others noticed her flinched but she dismissed it as her jolting awake from a sudden sleep spell. She can't point what it is but all she wants is to be _off _this planet as soon as possible.

"I don't like this." Pidge muttered, eye sweeping the perimeter. "Not at all." The familiar feeling of calm before a storm is still there. More palpable than in any situation she has been yet. She doesn't like it one bit. The others seemed oblivious about it.

"It will be fine, Pidge." Hunk assured her. The big guy has been on the lookout for spices in the alien wild. Pidge swore he would pause to look on anything that looks interesting, weird, or both. "If you want, I could give you a piggyback ride?"

Pidge blinked at him through her glasses. The offer's _tempting _but she rather gets off this planet as soon as possible. "Hard pass on that one, Hunk." She answered, albeit grudgingly. It's difficult to resist Hunk's piggyback rides. "I prefer having my feet on the ground while we're here in this planet." _And a bayard at hand. _She didn't say that.

"Well, good for you then." Keith announced as he brushed aside a low-hanging branch, revealing the city spread before them. "We're almost there."

* * *

Okay, she has to admit. _It isn't so bad._ As they stood above a hill staring at the civilization before them, Pidge was reminded of Olkarion. Except maybe with more of the glitz and glam that Nature could offer. Trees with trunks of silver and gold clustered on the valley between two great mountains. Splashes of red, orange, green, and blue painted their leaves in a glistening sheen. Tree houses balanced on and in between their thick branches. Their domed roofs of stained mosaic were covered in vines where flowers of hues that Pidge has never seen before bloomed. Ninhurgs, together with other alien species, milled around and walked through hanging bridges and walkways that connected each tree to another. The city is so vibrant and lively that the Space Mall during sale extravaganzas pale in comparison.

"Holy quiznak!" Hunk exclaimed. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"The Princess is not kidding about this planet's nature." Shiro said. "It reminds me of autumn on Earth, except with brown tree trunks."

"I see the market over there!" Hunk pointed giddily at the clustered tents west of the city. "I wonder if they got something equivalent to cayenne peppers on Earth? Or maybe paprika? Will there be fruits? I really need some alternative for apples…"

"Uh-oh." Pidge said as she crossed her arms. An amused grin spreading on her lips at her friend's antics. "Guys, I think we just lost Hunk."

Shiro chuckled and clapped him on the back. "Come on, big guy. Let's meet up with the Princess and then go grocery-shopping."

He led their little procession downhill on a stony path where it splits into four paths. A floating post with four signs labelled where the paths lead to. Pidge whipped out the translator that she installed in her wrist guard. The blue screen popping out as it scans the alien writing and translates it in English.

"Huh…the castle's that way." She pointed at the second path that led straight north. "The market's that way. Take note of that Hunk. The mines over there and…" She paused and raised an eyebrow. "An altar. Who would have thought? I thought they're in for Mother Nature."

"Maybe that's where they show their respect for the environment." Keith said. "Like maybe burning offerings and making live sacrifices like the Arusians do?"

"Isn't that a bit hardcore?" Hunk frowned.

"Eh…ancient human civilizations practice offering sacrificial humans to appease their gods." Pidge said, air-quoting the word _gods_. "It's not that different. Probably just as gruesome with lots of blood and gore."

Hunk gagged at that. Keith frowned at the youngest Paladin. "You've been playing too much video games."

"_Correction. _I've been playing too much video games with Lance." Pidge placed a hand on her hip. "But Lance got it worse. He's been trying and _failing_ to get pass the eleventh boss for almost a week now. He hasn't figured it out yet that he needs to complete a side quest to get the divine shield to counteract the boss' ultimate attack."

Keith looked a bit lost. He has never touched any of the video games that the two were playing. "Uhh…great to know?"

A holographic screen blinked off from Shiro's wrist guard and he turned to the younger Paladins. "I just received a transmission from the Princess. The meeting will be starting soon. We should get going."

He began walking to the path leading to the castle with Keith and Hunk moving in after him. Pidge looked back at the altar sign and the path leading to it. A glare crunching on her face before turning on heel to follow her companions.

* * *

"Ninhurgia is honored to have the Paladins of Voltron." The queen was saying as she stood before them on the podium of the dais of the throne room. As soon as they reached the castle and introduced themselves as Paladins of Voltron, the guards led them to the throne room where the Allura, Coran, and Lance were already speaking with the queen of Ninhurgia.

The queen, according to Coran, holds more political power than the king in Ninhurgia. The position of king is merely decorative and the inheritance of the throne is always passed on to the firstborn daughter of royalty. _Talk about reverse sexism_. Pidge thought as she sized their host. Ninhurgs reminded her of the nymphs in Earth mythologies. They looked like Alteans – humanoid appearance with pointy ears – except that their skin was a variety of white, silver, and gold just like the trees outside. Their hair colors were a full spectrum of colors and they considerably tower over them in terms of height. Pidge could easily tell that they're built to camouflage in their planet's environment.

The queen, in Pidge's opinion, looked more like a white Christmas tree that has come to life and decorated itself with gold ornaments to at least have some sort of color decency. That is, if Christmas trees have sharp, jagged teeth and no visible pupils. She swore the queen has been looking at her general direction for exactly fifteen times since she entered the room.

"We have heard great tales of the Legendary Defender from our ancestors and to see its heralds on our land is beyond any honor possible. I hope your brief stay will be of comfort. If you need any help, me and my people will be more than happy to be of assistance."

"We appreciate your kindness, Queen Ourbele." Allura smiled. "Yours and your people's. I hope we could count on Ninhurgia in our campaign against Zarkon as well."

The queen chuckled good-naturedly. "Without a doubt."

She gestured at her husband who was standing five steps away behind her. The man was cloaked in white and gold from top to toe. Only the lower half of his face is visible to them. He reminded Pidge of the witch Haggar except that he looked like he was drowned in bleach for a long time and the color leeched out.

"The king will personally show you to your quarters should you wish to stay for the time being." The queen told them. "Do not hesitate to say the word and he will personally see to your needs."

"Sweet!" Lance whooped, pumping his fist to the air. "Royal-class service!"

"We'll keep that in mind." Allura swept in a curtsy and the Paladins bid goodbye.


End file.
